Childhood Marketing: Ronald McDonald Under Obesity Attack

By Audrey Howard on April 3, 2010, 10:33 am

Despite the discontinuation of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) super size option, the international fast food chain is still under attack for its high-calorie, fat-, sodium-, and preservative-laden menu items. Additionally, the company’s chief demographic seems to be a group with no spending power of its own, and limited abilities to make sound nutritional choices – children.

Is Ronald McDonald Making Children Fat

One problem parents and health groups have with the corporation is that it markets directly to children. Toys associated with the latest blockbuster animated movies are a big draw, and commercials loaded with kid-friendly cartoons and images are almost as alluring as the food itself. In fact, a 2007 study by the Stanford University School of Medicine found that children preferred food in McDonald’s wrappers, despite the fact that the food did not actually come from the fast food mega-chain. This blind taste test, which pitted the real thing against falsely labeled food and drinks, demonstrates the power of advertising over children.

Ronald McDonald: The End Of An Icon

Because of the insidious effect of the burger chain’s advertising, some are calling for the red-headed spokesclown’s retirement. Corporate Accountability International is the activist group that ended the careers of other dubious corporate characters cited as having a negative influence over children. The difference is that Spuds McKenzie, the Marlboro Man, and Joe Camel saw their demise because they were thought to send a positive message about tobacco and alcohol that would affect habits children might adopt in the future. As the voice of McDonald’s, Ronald creates an immediate desire for the corporation’s burgers, fries, and artificially sweetened sodas.

 

Should Ronald McDonald be put out to pasture? Some parents and activists claim the goofy red-headed clown makes it difficult to instill healthy eating habits in children. McDonald’s commercials often target children directly with the use of toys, cartoons, and kid-friendly eye candy, despite their lack of disposable income or fully-developed decision-making abilities.

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